One of the most innovative and well crafted animated shows on the air right now is BoJack Horseman. On its surface it’s about a horse named BoJack, voiced by actor Will Arnett, who used to be the star of a 1990s sitcom and is now trying to adjust to being out of the limelight while also completing his memoir. In addition to being a washed up star, BoJack Horseman is a depressed, self loathing alcoholic and the success of his memoir holds the potential to bring him renewed relevance and a better way forward. Of course, things don’t go smoothly for him or anyone else in his life, which is where the show hits its high points.
As the second season of the show started, the concept of reinventing oneself is explored and BoJack’s memoir, One Trick Pony, finally pays off. The third season of the show sees him in line to win an Oscar and the theme of celebrity culture and the masses’ obsession with it is brought to the forefront. If you haven’t seen this show yet, it’s definitely worth a look for its daring slant alone. Here are ten more reasons why BoJack Horseman is the best animated show around.
1. It’s more than a show about a horse.
BoJack Horseman is actually based on experiences that the show’s creator, 30-something Raphael Bob-Waksberg, went through in his own life. Sure, those experiences are told through the persona of an animated horse, but the show touches on things that just about everyone could relate to. Using BoJack to weave the tales is brilliant, because it provides comic relief from very serious subjects.
2. BoJack Horseman takes risks that actually pay off.
There’s no playing it safe on this show, and that’s part of what makes it so fun to watch. You never know what insanely crazy situation will play out next and BoJack Horseman manages to maintain the right balance between being absurd and being poignant. It was a big leap of faith to make a series about an alcoholic horse to begin with, but the writers also ensure that each episode isn’t too sad, too strange, or too run of the mill. There are no misfires with this series, just boldness and well-crafted entertainment.
3. It’s far from being a silly cartoon.
If BoJack Horseman were simply about a horse walking about town and his various antics, it wouldn’t have much depth and definitely wouldn’t be able to carry the interest of its adult audience. Speaking of, this isn’t a show for children and that’s another thing that sets it apart from the average animated sitcom. There’s real acting going on in this series, it’s not just a compilation of silliness.
4. It’s worthy of binge watching.
Who doesn’t love a good binge watching session here and there? The problem is finding a series that’s actually worth vegging out for a weekend, but with BoJack Horseman that choice is easy. Everything flows, you can easily watch the episodes in order, and the redundancy in other shows that have to constantly reintroduce characters is eliminated in this series. The Netflix platform is partly to thank for that, but the way the show is written is also a big part of how easy it is to watch for hours on end.
5. Celebrities are turned into parodies.
There’s tons of celebrity voice over cameos, as well as celebs showing up as their animated selves on the series. What’s really great is how the show makes parodies of its stars, such as the running joke about Andrew Garfield and Keith Olbermann showing up as a news anchor whale named Tom Jumbo-Gumbo. Other celebs that have been on BoJack Horseman and made fun of include Olivia Wilde, Stephen Colbert, and Kristin Chenoweth.
6. The voice talent on the show is awesome.
We’ve all seen animated sitcoms where the idea might’ve been good, but the voice acting is terrible. Without the superb voice talent on BoJack Horseman the series wouldn’t be half of what it is. BoJack is voiced by Will Arnett, who is absolutely perfect in the role. Others who do great work on the show include Angela Bassett, Lorraine Bracco, Amy Sedaris, and Aaron Paul. This is just a short list, and there’s a slew of other names involved in voicing the series’ characters.
7. BoJack’s struggles are surprisingly relatable.
It’s a sure bet that when most people sit down for the first time to watch a program about a horse with a drinking problem, they don’t expect to relate to anything on the show. However, so much about it is relatable that you may find yourself questioning your own life. It’s so easy to care about the characters, particularly BoJack. You want him to win, you go along on the emotional journey, and then there’s moments where you start reflecting on how your own life has played out.
8. The social commentary is on point.
This goes along with the risks that BoJack Horseman horseman takes, because this series hits topics that you definitely wouldn’t expect it to. For that matter, topics come up that even non-animated sitcoms don’t want to touch on such as the absurdity of celebrity culture, the problem of mass shootings, and shaming personal choices. All of this coming from a horse and his acquaintances doesn’t make it dismissible, either.
9. It’s seriously funny.
Between the touching moments and the sadness of BoJack’s life, there’s one thing that’s guaranteed when you watch the show: lots of laughs. The humor on this show is varied and runs the gamut from sight gags to witty one-liners and comical moments based on characters. The background jokes also keep coming through each episode, all without disrupting the storytelling that make this series so remarkable.
10. Character development on the show is top notch.
What makes BoJack and other characters on the show incredible is that they’re three-dimensional. If you’ve ever watched a show where you don’t feel much at all for the characters either way and they seem boring or flat, you’ll appreciate this aspect of the program. And it’s not just BoJack that’s a favorite of the show’s fans — don’t be surprised to realize there’s more than one character that you love after watching a few episodes.
